The present invention relates generally to milking machine detacher mechanisms and particularly to an automatic milking machine detacher mechanism useful for being mounted in a sloping splash shield or other space-constrained location.
Automatic arm detachers for milking machines have been in use for many years. Typically, the detacher mechanism is mounted on a wall or a rail adjacent to the milking machine or is mounted inside a vertical splash shield to save space and maintain the cleanliness of the mechanism.
When the detacher mechanism is mounted inside of a cabinet or splash shield the mechanism includes a pneumatic cylinder, a chain, pulleys, and a counterweight that moves vertically as the detacher mechanism retracts the milking machine. Due to the length of the milking machine support arm and the distance between the detacher mechanism and the milking stall, the distance of vertical movement by the pneumatic cylinder piston and the counterweight is considerable. Where space is not a concern, such as in vertically oriented panels or splash shields, the traditional detacher arrangement is useful and dependable. When, however, vertical space is at a premium the traditional mechanism is not practical and will not work dependably.
Thus, there is needed a detacher mechanism for a milking machine that can be used in a sloping splash shield or other space that does not permit large vertical movement of mechanism components.